Bond at $500,000 in attack on UI professor

URBANA - Bond was set at $500,000 Thursday for a Fithian man accused of slashing the throat of a University of Illinois law professor.

Joshua Scaggs, 23, was arraigned via video connection on Thursday afternoon in the case. He appeared wearing an anti-suicide gown and surrounded by correctional officers. Using profanity, he told attorney Baku Patel of Urbana that he was fired. His mother and stepfather were in the courtroom.

Scaggs has been charged with attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery, alleging he slashed the throat of Anurudha Udeni Dhammika Dharmapala, 41, of Champaign at the Illinois Terminal on Wednesday morning. He is a professor at the University of Illinois College of Law[3] specializing in law and economics, tax policy, public economy, and political economy.

Carle Foundation Hospital was not releasing information about his condition Thursday morning but Assistant State's Attorney Steve Ziegler said he was told that Dharmapala sustained about a six-inch cut on his throat which bled profusely.

Champaign police were called to the second floor of the transportation terminal at 45 E. University Avenue at 5:44 a.m. Wednesday. They found two men in the waiting area for the trains, one of whom was sitting in a chair bleeding heavily and the other lying face down on the floor with a utility knife laying nearby.

A male witness told police the men were both seated in the waiting area when one man suddenly jumped up and shouted that this was his country and attacked Dharmapala.

The attacker, later identified as Scaggs, then grabbed Dharmapala around the neck and appeared to be choking him. He then forced the victim to the floor.

The witness intervened by pulling the attacker off Dharmapala. The witness then noticed that the attacker was holding a utility knife and the victim was bleeding.

Ziegler said Dharmapala was waiting to take a train to Chicago. He had no information on why Scaggs may have been there. Police recovered the box cutter believed used to injure Dharmapala. He said Scaggs had another folding knife in his pocket.

In an email sent Wednesday to UI faculty, students and staff, President Michael Hogan said:

"As some of you may have read in the newspapers, this morning a member of our faculty was severely injured during what appears to have been a senseless act of aggression and alleged hate crime by another not affiliated with the University of Illinois. The University is deeply saddened by this event.

"We are grateful to those who intervened to offer aid and the thoughts of the entire University community are with the victim and his family, wishing for a complete and speedy recovery."

Scaggs, who was booked into the county jail about 8:15 a.m., did not report any injuries, police said.

Ziegler said Scaggs has a 2006 burglary conviction out of Indiana that could make him eligible for an extended term on the aggravated battery counts, assuming he's convicted of those Class 3 felonies. The attempted murder charge is a Class X felony carrying a mandatory prison sentence of between six and 30 years.

Although police arrested Scaggs for the offense of hate crime, Ziegler said he opted not to file it because the other charges carry heavier penalties and he's confident he can prove the aggravated battery based on the information he has.

Champaign police Lt. Joe Gallo said one of his investigators interviewed Scaggs but Ziegler said Thursday morning he had not seen that report yet.

1. Well it's on Wikipedia, so it must be true, right? I particularly like how the article, at least in the first few sections, fails to mention discrimination in America from minority groups towards others and seems to erroneously indicate that in order for it to be racist, it must be directed towards a minority group.

2. No one is denying that racism exists from every ethnicity, towards every ethnicity. What I'm looking for are reliable statistics, facts and/or figures supporting your comment that "Most of them just do their racism quietly without getting in trouble."

3. As a U.S. citizen, you were rightly offended by that guy telling you to go back to "your country". Is he rude? Absolutely. Is he xenophobic? Lilkely. Racist? Maybe, but there is no evidence of that based on his comments.

Why Oakwood. because he lived in Fithian. I suppose you think the VA Tech shooter was from Oakwood too. He was 23 not 18. Im sure if you check at Oakwood High he never attended there. I would of known if he went thru there.

Don't you mean the color of their skin? If I called an obese or overweight person a fat pig, regardless of their skin color, am I being racist? After all, I am still making a judgement by the "way they look."

Sorry Einstein, making an observation on someones looks is NOT racist. There are clear and accepted physical differences between many races, and recognizing those differences is only reacting to observations.

A belief that one race is superior to another, or intolerance of that race, is racism.

"A belief that one race is superior to another, or intolerance of that race, is racism."

Agreed. But then you say:

"3. As a U.S. citizen, you were rightly offended by that guy telling you to go back to "your country". Is he rude? Absolutely. Is he xenophobic? Lilkely. Racist? Maybe, but there is no evidence of that based on his comments."

Telling someone to go back to their country is an inherently racist comment, I'm sorry. It implies that you think they are somehow inferior for being in the United States, where all are created equal. If this person thought they were equals, he wouldn't have made that comment, and thus clearly thinks they are inferior because of where they are from, an assumption made purely based on color of skin. That is, by definition, a racist comment.

a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race

racial prejudice or discrimination

Anyone who says "go back your country" or "this is my/our country!" is a racist, because they are showing prejudice and discrimination against an individual based on the color of their skin, implying they are less American than anyone else.

I hope the professor recovers. And regarding the cocky, arrogant moron who attacked him, well--this guy should be put away behind bars for a very long time! He is defnitely a menace to society and should not be walking around!!!!!

Kudos to the witness who broke off the attack. It takes courage and a big heart to risk injury to intervene on behalf of someone you don't know. (Too bad there aren't more people like that in the Penn State football program).

Mr. Ronaldo; Your comments were the only rational comments shown. Hate crimes are directed to all victims that the attacker hates. The victim could be a minority member, a majority member, a disabled person, a gay person, a female, a rich person, a bum, a child, or............. The concept of Hate Crimes does not cover all of the victims. It does appease some though. Thank you for your comments.

Well, Marty Feldman was one crazy dude in Young Dr. Frankenstein. Better keep an eye on crossed eye people. Let's stare at them more to see if they act crazy. Do you possibly think that they are teased, socially rejected; and develop a poor self image? How about providing surgery for eye alignment instead of watching them for signs of mental illness, and sending them to a psychiatrist? Dr. Mohney is an ophthalmologist; and apparently a moron. My apologies to morons.